Tuesday was the first day of the show. I arrived at the booth at 8:30 to relieve security, set up the demos, and sign for the catering at the meeting suite. As it turns out, our security guard works for Green Day when they go on tour!
The show went really smoothly. There was a LOT of standing! Afterwards we went to an NBDL basketball game. The NBDL is the NBA development league and we were watching the last and second to last teams in the division! But where else are you going to see a 7'2" Korean guy play basketball? You know someone is tall when they make the 6"6" guys look short. Plus, one of my coworkers knows the event manager at the arena so we were set up courtside with an all-you-can-eat buffet and an open bar!
After the game a couple of the guys really wanted to go out. The only place we could think of close by was the House of Blues in Downtown Disney so we crammed seven of us into a cab and headed down. Unfortunately when we got there we were informed by a couple of security guards that there was a private party going on. Most of us were ready to turn away and find somewhere else to go but Babak started telling the security guards that we were on the list! Another group who was ACTUALLY on the list walked up and one of them was trying to get all of us in. But then the party-pooper of the group said "well WE'RE on the list, not these guys". So we were left out in the cold, but then Babak starts telling the security that we know so-and-so who works for such-and-such company, etc... and they let us in!!
Turns out it was this company's decade anniversary! They had a Blues Brothers cover band playing and everyone was dressed up in hats and sunglasses. Then the CEO got up on stage to do a raffle, but a lot of people must have left so he decided to give the gifts away to those who cheered the loudest. So Mark and I started yelling and Mark ended up winning a $45 bottle of wine! They also gave away tickets to the Beijing Olympics, tickets to Disney, etc. All in all it wasn't a very good party, I think a lot of people had left by the time we showed up - although it was funny watching the drunk people dance!
As we were leaving Richard grabbed a "gift bag" which was really a satchel bag that turned out to be filled with all sorts of goodies including mini bottles of champagne. So of course we all had to run back and grab one! Meanwhile, Babak asks the security guards where there's a good salsa club and discovers there's one called Tia Juanas. We all pile into a cab again with Ron protesting that he doesn't want to drive to Tia Juana. Turns out the salsa club was too far away but the cab driver suggested he drive us to another club not too far away. Kim, Richard, and Ron are stuck in the stifling hot back of the van, I'm up front with the cab driver who's hacking up a lung. Meanwhile, the cab driver is telling us about how he's in a business laying fiber and solar panels across Africa. When we finally got to the club it turns out to be a strip club - with all these seedy looking guys standing outside! So we headed back to the hotel for another night of not enough sleep before another early morning!
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Monday, April 2, 2007
Anaheim - Day 2
Monday was set up day - getting everything ready for the show start on Tuesday. Started out with overseeing the contractors assembling the booth, making sure the rented TV and furniture set up was done correctly, and setting up the demos. A couple of unplanned for mishaps: some of the promotional giveaways didn't make it (or rather I was sent a single sample rather than the twelve logo-ed items I ordered). Our booth supplier didn't send the brackets to mount our monitors - which eventually got fixed at 8pm. The biggest "whoops" was a mix up between the shipping company and the general show contractor. Of course, they both blamed each other - the shipping company said they were turned away by the contractor and the contractor said the shipping co. went to the wrong place. Either way, I didn't have the demos I needed - but after ten or so phone calls, we eventually got it all sorted out!
Set up ran from 8am to 7pm and then we had to run out to BestBuy to grab a few things. Fortunately I was able to have a good breakfast, because the only thing I had time to eat between 9am and 9pm was a power bar! We went to an awesome Mexican restaurant for dinner - the waiters barely spoke English and often sang amongst themselves in between waiting tables. They even made the guacamole fresh at our tableside!
Set up ran from 8am to 7pm and then we had to run out to BestBuy to grab a few things. Fortunately I was able to have a good breakfast, because the only thing I had time to eat between 9am and 9pm was a power bar! We went to an awesome Mexican restaurant for dinner - the waiters barely spoke English and often sang amongst themselves in between waiting tables. They even made the guacamole fresh at our tableside!
Anaheim - Day 1
Sunday was day one of my trip to Anaheim, California for OFC 2007. In January, the US implemented a new rule which requires everyone entering the US by air to have a valid passport. I'd applied for my passport back in January but due to the huge influx of applications, they've had huge backlogs. So after two months and no word on my passport and a week and a half of attempting to get through on the Passport Canada phone line, I finally discovered that my passport wouldn't be ready in time for my trip.
Since I was going to attempt to fly on an expired passport, Sharleen, my coworker, and I got there early enough to give me enough time to get through customs. Good thing too, since it turned out that the travel agent never confirmed her flight with the airline and she didn't actually have a ticket! Half an hour and a bunch of money later, she had tickets. Now onto customs.... as it turned out, they didn't have a problem with the fact that my passport was expired. What they DID have a problem with was the fact that I had a Resident Alien Card that allowed me to live and work in the States. Forty-five minutes and one surrendered card later, I was onto security - where, of course, I get randomly selected for a pat down! One bag search and a pat down later, I'm through security to meet Sharleen and Kim.
Then our plane is forty minutes late. Next, halfway through loading, there's a problem with the power hookup - so they unload the plane, twenty more minutes, and finally we load and take off for San Fransisco. It's a good thing we'd had a two hour layover scheduled in San Fran because by the time we landed our next flight was already loaded! So they hustled Kim and I over to our next flight, loaded us on, and took off. Unfortunately, Sharleen wasn't so lucky and couldn't make her connection in time. Then the airline couldn't find her in their system and didn't want to help her get on another flight. They finally put her on standby for a flight to LAX and she got to Anaheim at 2am - four hours after Kim and I!
So, a long and painful start to the week. Tomorrow - the set up begins!
Since I was going to attempt to fly on an expired passport, Sharleen, my coworker, and I got there early enough to give me enough time to get through customs. Good thing too, since it turned out that the travel agent never confirmed her flight with the airline and she didn't actually have a ticket! Half an hour and a bunch of money later, she had tickets. Now onto customs.... as it turned out, they didn't have a problem with the fact that my passport was expired. What they DID have a problem with was the fact that I had a Resident Alien Card that allowed me to live and work in the States. Forty-five minutes and one surrendered card later, I was onto security - where, of course, I get randomly selected for a pat down! One bag search and a pat down later, I'm through security to meet Sharleen and Kim.
Then our plane is forty minutes late. Next, halfway through loading, there's a problem with the power hookup - so they unload the plane, twenty more minutes, and finally we load and take off for San Fransisco. It's a good thing we'd had a two hour layover scheduled in San Fran because by the time we landed our next flight was already loaded! So they hustled Kim and I over to our next flight, loaded us on, and took off. Unfortunately, Sharleen wasn't so lucky and couldn't make her connection in time. Then the airline couldn't find her in their system and didn't want to help her get on another flight. They finally put her on standby for a flight to LAX and she got to Anaheim at 2am - four hours after Kim and I!
So, a long and painful start to the week. Tomorrow - the set up begins!
Friday, March 23, 2007
A Depressing Thought
Some weather news in today's Metro newspaper:
- So far it has rained for 19 days this month. It usually only rains for 17 days in all of March - and we still have a week to go!
- As of today, we have gotten 170mm (6.7in) of rain, the norm is 114mm (4.5in).
- Worst of all, we have had only 43 hours of sunlight so far this month. Normally, it's 89 hours in March!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
No Smoking
For several years now, there's been no smoking in restaurants and bars in BC. As a non-smoker, I often forget that the law even exists. When I was in The Calgary a couple years ago, I had a bite in an airport restaurant. I initially sat in the bar side, but it smelled so bad I ended up moving into the dining room side - and there wasn't even anyone smoking in the room, it was just the room itself!
The BC government recently announced a new smoking ban which will increase restrictions on where people can smoke - including some outdoor spaces. While some people say this is an infringement on the rights of smokers, I have to disagree. Part of the role of the government is to serve the interests of those who elect them - if the majority of people don't smoke and prefer not be around smoking, then the government should act accordingly.
Just recently, I was at a bus stop and it was pouring rain so I was standing inside the shelter with about three other people. Within ten minutes, two people other people came by and lit up inside the same shelter as the rest of us. Frankly, I think it's just rude - it's pouring out, there's an elderly women sitting on the bench, and we're in a mostly enclosed space. There were similar stories on the news of mother's with children standing outside bus shelters because there was someone smoking inside it. People do the same inside Skytrain stations - yes, it IS open air - but really, at least go stand away from everyone else.
I don't have anything against those who choose to smoke, I'd just appreciate a little courtesy!
The BC government recently announced a new smoking ban which will increase restrictions on where people can smoke - including some outdoor spaces. While some people say this is an infringement on the rights of smokers, I have to disagree. Part of the role of the government is to serve the interests of those who elect them - if the majority of people don't smoke and prefer not be around smoking, then the government should act accordingly.
Just recently, I was at a bus stop and it was pouring rain so I was standing inside the shelter with about three other people. Within ten minutes, two people other people came by and lit up inside the same shelter as the rest of us. Frankly, I think it's just rude - it's pouring out, there's an elderly women sitting on the bench, and we're in a mostly enclosed space. There were similar stories on the news of mother's with children standing outside bus shelters because there was someone smoking inside it. People do the same inside Skytrain stations - yes, it IS open air - but really, at least go stand away from everyone else.
I don't have anything against those who choose to smoke, I'd just appreciate a little courtesy!
Monday, March 12, 2007
Spa Day
Back in January I worked at the company's annual sales conference. As a thank you to all of us who helped out, the women organizing the event gave us gift certificates to the spa in the Pan Pacific hotel. Not a bad gift considering it's a five star hotel! So, as a nice break on a rainy Sunday, I headed out for an afternoon at the spa.
Now, I've been to spas before for massages - but THIS was a spa. As I checked in at the front desk they took my coat for me. I was then escorted through the salon and through a set of glass doors to the spa itself. The whole place is decorated like some sort of Italian grotto - the lights are low and soft music plays in the background. Next, I'm given a tour of the change rooms - complete with sauna and steam room, showers with shampoo and conditioner, as well as an array of beauty products. After I change into my robe and sandals, I move to the lounge to await my masseuse. There's a few bistro tables near the waterfall and large comfy couches near the fireplace. There's a bar with tea, coffee, and ice water, bowls with dried fruit and nuts.
My masseuse came to get me - my MALE masseuse. I have to admit it was a little odd having a male masseuse, but probably not a bad thing since I was getting a deep tissue back, shoulder, and neck massage. The one thing about a deep tissue massage - it hurts - not all the time, but definitely on tender shoulders. Today, it feels like I'm recovering from a hard workout!
Now, I've been to spas before for massages - but THIS was a spa. As I checked in at the front desk they took my coat for me. I was then escorted through the salon and through a set of glass doors to the spa itself. The whole place is decorated like some sort of Italian grotto - the lights are low and soft music plays in the background. Next, I'm given a tour of the change rooms - complete with sauna and steam room, showers with shampoo and conditioner, as well as an array of beauty products. After I change into my robe and sandals, I move to the lounge to await my masseuse. There's a few bistro tables near the waterfall and large comfy couches near the fireplace. There's a bar with tea, coffee, and ice water, bowls with dried fruit and nuts.
My masseuse came to get me - my MALE masseuse. I have to admit it was a little odd having a male masseuse, but probably not a bad thing since I was getting a deep tissue back, shoulder, and neck massage. The one thing about a deep tissue massage - it hurts - not all the time, but definitely on tender shoulders. Today, it feels like I'm recovering from a hard workout!
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
The Lady of the Crosswalk
This is a story I heard on the news this morning:The small town of Fuenlabrada, just outside of Madrid, is “taking a novel step in the struggle to achieve equality between Spanish men and women”. They are updating their crosswalk signals and signs to be gender equal. Now half of the stick figures on signs at pedestrian crossings will have skirts and ponytails. Also, the stick figure on the crosswalk lights will flash between being a man and a woman. The person goes from the traditional stick figure man, to a woman with a skirt and long hair. There have been mixed opinions: while most think it’s a good idea, some say they never thought of the stick figures as necessarily being male, and others do not like stereotyping women as wearing dresses. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6206084.stm
Like some of the people interviewed for the article, I also have never thought of the stick figures as being male. Though I’m sure, if you’d asked me directly, I would have said that the stick figures were male. Personally, I’m not too sure how to feel about this. On the one hand, I have to agree that I’m not sure we should be women should be defined as only wearing skirts. Then again, how else are you going to differentiate between male and female when using stick figures? If most people are like myself and don’t consider the figures to be male or female but merely a person, do we even need to differentiate?
Then again, it’s always a good thing to question the norms. If nothing ever changed, how would we better ourselves? If these signs make people think about why things are the way they are, then that can’t be a bad thing. Why not a woman? Maybe the signs should not be seen as a statement of equality but rather a trigger to question our feelings and attitudes on the subject. Consider larger issues such as the glass ceiling, pay inequity, etc. They’ve even got me to spend time writing a post on it!
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